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The Epicenter of Effectiveness and Efficiency in Health Care Delivery: The Evolving U.S. Health Workforce

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Michelle M. Washko and Mary L. Fennell

In the decade between 2014 and 2024, the health care and social assistance sector is projected to add more jobs to the U.S. economy than any other industry (BLS, 2015). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19 of the 30 fastest growing occupations in the United States are in health care (BLS, 2016). The drivers of this demand in health care employment include an increased need for care by a rapidly aging population, expansion of insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and subsector innovations, such as those in Health Information Technology and medical science. In addition to these factors, the push toward improved access to care and improved quality of care has put the health care workforce at the center of the system transformation “storm.”